Pup-Pee Solutions suing for pet potty patent infringement

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A Knoxville-based maker of indoor toilet devices for pets is suing a California firm hawking a similar system, under the brand name Urban Potty, for patent infringement.

Radio Systems Corp. and affiliate Pup-Pee Solutions USA Inc., located on Petsafe Way in Knoxville, have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Urban Potty in Irvine, Calif., alleging that the company stole its patented indoor pet toilet design.

According to the lawsuit, inventors Tobi Skovron and Simone Iglicki in 2009 received a patent for their design of a puppy potty that funnels a pooch's urine into a container much like a child's potty. Pup-Pee Solutions now holds the patent and has been manufacturing the indoor toilet devices since the patent was obtained, the lawsuit states.

Urban Potty peddles a similar device via a website.

According to documents filed in connection with the lawsuit, there are stylistic differences between the Urban Potty and the Pup-Pee product. Urban Potty, for instance, uses a funnel cup to collect pet urine while the Pup-Pee device relies on a concave design to whisk urine into a collection container.

Those differences don't matter, the lawsuit alleges, because Urban Potty's product still relies upon the design concept in the Pup-Pee patent.

''Upon information and belief, RSC has lost sales from, and Urban Potty has wrongfully profited from, sales of Urban Potty's accessory products for use in connection with the infringing product," the lawsuit states. "Urban Potty has offered for sale, continues to offer for sale, has sold and enables others to sell its infringing product. Upon information and belief, Urban Potty has at least constructive knowledge and likely actual knowledge of the patent (at issue)."

The lawsuit seeks a restraining order against Urban Potty.

"Unless the future occurrence of these actions is enjoined, (RSC and Pup-Pee) will suffer irreparable injury for which there is no adequate remedy at law," the lawsuit states.

A specific amount for damages is not listed in the lawsuit.

Jamie Satterfield is a reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.